Bengaluru: ‘Govt forced to bow before people’s will’

Bengaluru: Thousands of citizens who had protested against the proposed steel flyover project are now feeling vindicated, after the government called off its plan.

They felt the babus and politicians cannot thrust a project against the people’s will.

Proposed in 2016, the controversial 6.5-km long flyover would have cost Rs 2,200 crore and linked Chalukya Circle with Hebbal.

Srinivas Alavilli, Co-founder, Citizens for Bengaluru, welcomed the state government decision and said, “It reinforces my belief that people power is supreme in our democracy.”

The reason people came together in such large numbers to say #SteelFlyoverBeda is because the project would have ruined our city. All these reasons also apply for the proposed elevated corridor on an even bigger scale and we hope the government scraps this too and tries to improve public transport, he added.

Suresh N.R., Director, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said, “This is a huge victory for citizens of Bengaluru. A monstrous project, which would have led to felling of 2,200 trees is finally quashed by the State Government. In spite of huge protest on October 15, 2016, by over 8,000 people, the government still wanted to go ahead with the project.

After denying several RTI applications and bypassing the constitutionally mandated BMPC, the Government of Karnataka has finally cancelled the project.”